I agree.  This guy's views on, well, just about everything are disturbing.

If I were a Gulf Coast senior, I would be protesting this like crazy. 

Let's do a little research in this thread to help others who aren't acquainted with Hewes' brand of "activism."

POST LINKS TO INFO ABOUT HEWES HERE.

By the way, a big problem with the Sun Herald is that they won't run letters or "sound offs" that are critical of Hewes.

I know at least five people who have written "sound offs" and letters to the editor criticizing Hewes.  I have seen none in print.

After you write your letter, if you would like to submit a copy to my email, I will set up a page especially for these letters and link it to the front page.

March 18, 2004

Don't 'politicize' difficulties at USM

Billy Hewes' letter ("Thames' leadership at USM is tops," March 15) is a pitiful attempt to politicize the recent difficulties at the University of Southern Mississippi.

The absurd picture painted by Mr. Hewes is: A "liberal" faculty is assaulting the fundamental "conservative values" of the "holy" USM administration. (Professor Frank Glamser, who publicly supported President Bush's invasion of Iraq, will be surprised to learn he is a card-carrying "liberal!")

Hewes sees "liberal plots" everywhere! Perhaps he wants USM faculty and staff to "snap to attention and salute" when passing the USM Dome or the stray administrator! Perhaps the "Liberal" Arts are to be blamed (one "liberal" anything is as bad as any other).

Hewes wants an ideologically "pure" university which teaches radical-right socio-political agendas and compliance to the labor force — unions, minimum wages, health benefits, and work place democracy free from critical thoughts.

The assumption that the mere sight of the words "In God We Trust" has some mystical power over the observer is simpy silly. He would force his religion on everyone.

That is simply un-American, un-Christian, and a poor education!

Whatever happens at USM, don't be surprised when this right-wing "sewage" spins regional issues into the service of the "selected" presidents — Bush or Thames. Welcome to the presidential campaign 2004.

Michael J. Fitzgerald
Hattiesburg

March 15, 2004

Thames' leadership at USM is tops

The uproar being caused by the University of Southern Mississippi Faculty Senate and American Association of University Professors chapter at USM is totally uncalled for.

Many of the professors involved with these organizations are of very liberal convictions who have opposed Dr. Shelby Thames since the day he was selected as USM's president.

All Dr. Thames wants from his professors is a day's work for a day's pay. It appears as though many of the Faculty Senate professors have a problem with this.

It has been reported that one "tenured" professor at USM is paid in excess of $78,000 for teaching only one class per semester. As a taxpayer, I consider that to be a gross waste of funds.

These professors should move on to another university if they are not happy at USM.

I am an alumnus of USM and my three sons are also USM alumni. Shelby Thames is doing a fine job as president, and I believe he has the support of the College Board and the state Legislature.

His reorganization of the departments has saved in excess of $1.8 million per year which resulted in many professors receiving merit raises.

Also, his leadership resulted in increased grant revenues at USM from around the $60 million mark to in excess of $81 million this school year. What a big plus for USM!

Dr. Thames hired Angie Dvorak to help with economic development. Her becoming part of the USM team is not only a feather in the cap of Shelby Thames but also of our university as a whole. She is one of the premier economic development specialists in the state of Mississippi.

She has the strength, character and know-how to get the job done, and she has demonstrated this with flying colors ever since arriving at USM. We are glad she is here.

Remember, the Faculty Senate is the same entity that did not want — tabled the issue indefinitely — the "In God We Trust" posters in the classrooms.

It looks as though the Faculty Senate and AAUP chapter at USM are more interested in destroying our university and Dr. Thames just to satisfy their own petty wants. It is time for these negative-thinking and acting professors to move on or to get their heads on right by doing their jobs in a positive manner.

They are conducting themselves like a bunch of crybabies who can't get their way every time. They need to remember that they do have very fine jobs and also that they are not the boss.

I urge Dr. Thames to keep up the good work. As far as I know, he has been a success in every endeavor he has undertaken.

I truly hope that the Faculty Senate, and the members of the AAUP will wake up and realize that the best interests of Southern Mississippi are at stake and that nothing breeds success like success.

Shelby Thames is a strong, able and excellent leader.

Billy Hewes
Gulfport

Homophobic Gulfport City Councilman introduces anti-gay resolution with inaccuracies

Posted on Thursday, July 17 @ 15:04:48 EDT by kaust  

Gulfport City Councilman Billy Hewes, well known for his past anti-gay rhetoric and homophobia, has introduced an anti-gay resolution to be considered for adoption by the Gulfport City Council on Tuesday, July 22, 2003.

The resolution reads as follows:
A RESOLUTION BY THE GULFPORT CITY COUNCIL TO MEMORIALIZE ITS CONCERN OVER THE U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISION STRIKING DOWN STATE LEGISLATION PROHIBITING SAME SEX MARRIAGES, AND TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO AUTHORIZE STATES TO LEGALLY AND CONSTITUTIONALLY LEGISLATE THE ILLEGALITY OF SAME SEX MARRIAGES

First of all, the U.S. Supreme Court did not strike down state legislation prohibiting same sex marriages. Billy Hewes should get his facts right before jumping the gun with his hate motivated resolution. The U.S. Supreme Court *did* strike down sodomy laws in the United States. Sodomy has nothing to do with marriage.

Second of all, we are left to wonder why the residents of Gulfport District 5 keep electing a man who, over the course of his political career, seems to think anti-gay legislation is more important business than real business of the City of Gulfport such as its crime rate, its education problems, and its infrastructure problems.

ACTION ALERT!

ALL GAY AND LESBIAN CITIZENS OF MISSISSIPPI AND THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST are encouraged to attend the Gulfport City Council meeting on Tuesday, July 22 to protest against Billy Hewes and against his resolution. It is time to let Billy Hewes and the Gulfport City Council know that HATE IS NOT A GULFPORT FAMILY VALUE and that government has no business nor constitutional authority to stick its nose into the private, legal consentual lives of tax-paying voting citizens.

When: This coming Tuesday, July 22, 2003 - 1:00 PM
Where: Gulfport City Hall, Gulfport, Mississippi
What: Protest city sponsored homophobia

Public and private hospitals each have strong points


Becky Gillette   MBJ Contributing Writer

Recently when a Gulfport city councilman promoted the idea of privatizing Memorial Hospital of Gulfport to help solve the city’s financial problems, the idea quickly went down in flames as employees and the public made it clear they consider this one of the city’s strongest assets.

Councilman Billy Hewes said the sale of the hospital, which is co-owned by the city and county, could have generated a $100-million windfall. Employees were concerned that the sale of the hospital would cause job losses, and that the sale would severely limit health care to poor people.

Margaret Shore, manager of emergency medical services, said the hospital treats people every day who can’t afford to go to a private hospital.

There are different advantages and disadvantages to private versus public hospital ownership, and there are two types of private ownership, for-profit and not-for-profit.

“We are a private community-owned, not-for-profit hospital,” said Jeff Barber, president and CEO, North Mississippi Medical Center (NMMC), Tupelo, the third largest hospital in the state. “The advantage to the community is that the private not-for-profits open their doors to all comers regardless of your ability to pay. In most cases that is the mission of the hospital, which is not that different from a public hospital. It is just that the ownership is different. There are tax advantages. We don’t pay property taxes. We don’t have to pay income taxes. We pay city sales tax for sales in the cafeteria to help fund projects the city has going.”

As a private not-for-profit, NMMC’s corporate structure is what is known as a member corporation as opposed to a stock corporation where the owners are the stockholders. There are no stockholders. Members are 200 individuals who live in the service area, which extends beyond just Lee County, who pay $10 per year to be a member. Then they serve on a voluntary basis with no pay. From the membership of 200, a board of 35 is elected to govern the organization to achieve its mission, which is to continuously improve the health of the people served.

“If you are for-profit, the goal is to have a return on their investment,” Barber said. “Our goal is to improve the health of the people we serve, so we invest any profits back into health education and promotion, facilities, equipment and personnel.” Some advocate efficient private ownership of hospitals in order to reduce expenses. But Barber said studies published in the medical journals have shown that really isn’t the case.

“They don’t necessarily operate leaner or more efficient, and in many cases are not more effective,” Barber said. “If you are talking about the big chains, they usually have staffing ratios that are very appropriate. Smaller chains trying to get started may cut staffing back dangerously low. That is one of the costs they are trying to cut back on. But your biggest resources in health care delivery are technology and people. It you cut back on those, you start to cut back on the quality of the product you are delivering, and your ability to provide a safe product or service.”

Barber said what he has found from his research over the years is that the quality of care doesn’t necessarily vary from profit to not-for-profit. What calls up the variable is how management spends its money. If the profits are spent on personnel, technology and physician services, the quality of care is good. If profits are spent on dividends to stockholders, the quality suffers at that point.

“The other issue is the value of that institution to the community it serves,” Barber said. “If it is a not-for-profit versus for-profit, the not-for-profits are generally set up to take all comers whether you have insurance or don’t have insurance. In many instances, the for-profits don’t take charity care. However their justification for doing that is they pay taxes, and the public hospital should take care of indigent care because they are supported by tax funds. But in our case we are a private, non-for-profit, so we don’t receive any tax revenues.”

The largest private chain in Mississippi is Health Management Associates Inc. (HMA), which has nine hospitals located in Mississippi out of the 44 hospitals the chain owns.

“Our hospitals make vital contributions to the quality of life for many Mississippians,” said Julie Grantham, director of marketing, HMA Mississippi Division.

“About one in every five babies born in our state begins its life in an HMA-affiliated hospital. The HMA hospitals provide employment to approximately 5,000 people in our state, with an annual payroll exceeding $140 million. An extremely important contribution our hospitals make to the economic viability of our communities is through the payment of taxes. Our hospitals paid state taxes totaling nearly $21 million including sales, use, property, unemployment and income taxes in the last fiscal year.”

Grantham said as for-profit entities, another major economic benefit their hospitals bring to the marketplace is the infusion of capital. Expenditures for new buildings, advanced technology and additional jobs are multiplied in the community and greatly enhance quality of life, she said.

“Our hospitals are very generous corporate citizens, providing approximately $1 million in annual charitable contributions,” Grantham said. “Our company’s leadership champions civic and charitable involvement, strongly encouraging our hospital’s key managers to share their time and talents in the communities they serve. Our hospitals face the same challenges as the other healthcare providers in our state, but have the advantage of a corporate structure that provides strong leadership, funding for capital expenditures, and many managerial resources.”

Many hospitals in the state are publicly owned. Advocates of public hospitals say they benefit from being governed by local people.

“Because we are community owned, and operated by a governing board consisting of trustees who live and work in Jackson County, we believe that we are better able to connect with the needs of those we serve,” said Chris Anderson, CEO of Singing River Hospital System (SRHS) in Jackson County. “Our mission is solely one of service to the community, through the provision of high-quality health care services, offering of community health and wellness programs and offering charity services to those in need.”

Anderson said while most hospitals, both profit-oriented and non-profit, provide some level of uncompensated care, all funds generated by SRHS’s non-profit system are returned to the community in the form of services.

“This differs from profit-oriented hospitals, which must provide dividends to shareholders who often live outside of the community,” Anderson said. “This important difference allows us to focus solely on community needs. We believe our employees and physicians take pride in our community ownership and the value of the services we provide in Jackson County and surrounding areas.”

Allen Meadows, vice-president of business development at Forrest General Hospital (FGH), said that based on his experience in working for both not-for-profit and for-profit hospitals for the past 18 years, he would say the biggest difference is balance.

“Generally speaking I feel the not-for-profits have balance and the for-profits do not,” Meadows said. “The not-for-profits are able to balance a quality patient experience, a quality staff experience and a quality business experience. The for-profits have a quality business experience, but often times do so at the expense of the patient and staff experience. At FGH we call the ability to balance the needs of the patient, the needs of our employees and the business needs our formula for success.”

Ownership of hospitals by religious organizations is another popular type of hospital in Mississippi. For example, the Mississippi Baptist Convention has been operating Mississippi Baptist Hospital in Jackson since 1911.

“In its daily operations, Baptist adheres to ethical and spiritual values consistent with those of the Mississippi Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention,” said Ginger Cocke, Baptist Corporate Communications director. “Baptist strives to emulate Christ’s ministry of help and healing for all who seek its services. As a private non-profit hospital, Baptist Medical Center is here to serve our community and state through continuously improving quality medical care and effective use of technology in a personal and compassionate environment. Being a private non-profit organization, we are able to assess the community’s health care needs and expand our services to meet those needs as necessary.”

The hospital doesn’t receive any grant money for funding. It survives on its operating budget and through donations from a foundation called The TRUST. The TRUST solicits, receives and manages funds established by or for its benefit to fund special needs at Baptist. The TRUST also meets the needs of those individuals who have a desire and the means to contribute to Baptist and its many ongoing health care ministries.

Water bills going up in Gulfport
Size of increase not yet determined

By MIKE CUMMINGS

THE SUN HERALD

GULFPORT - The City Council raised water rates on Thursday without knowing the actual amount of the increase for Gulfport water customers.

Council members scrapped the usage-based increases proposed by Mayor Ken Combs and adopted a single, across-the-board increase of an amount that should be determined next week.

The council could have amended the budget proposal to include an across-the-board increase and then give the administration time to compute the figures. Instead, it adopted the budget by a 4-3 vote.

Combs' proposed increases ranged from 14 percent for the lowest-usage customers to 29 percent for the highest-volume consumers.

The rate increases are needed to help cover rising debt payments on $51 million the city has borrowed to repair its crumbling water and sewer systems.

Councilman Kim Savant said the proposed system was unfair to businesses that use a lot of water.

Councilman Billy Hewes also believed the scaled rate increases were unfair.

"I believe the graduated scale discriminates against people more than anything else we have in this city," said Hewes, who owns a mobile home park and often speaks publicly about the high amount he pays the city in water bills.

quote:

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Originally posted by: dr. know
""

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Read this press release dated yesterday.  Someone sent it to me to post anonymously, but the source is good.

www.geocities.com/fireshelby/coastjerk

 

It's also important to note that Hewes is a convicted felon, which should also be included in all news releases about the distinguished speaker.

Gulfport supports ban on gay union
By MIKE CUMMINGS

GULFPORT - The City Council passed a resolution Tuesday supporting President Bush's proposal to amend the U.S. Constitution to ban same-sex marriages.

Councilman Billy Hewes introduced the resolution, saying it would help to protect the country's moral character from the forces of evil.

"To me, folks, things like (same-sex marriage) is the devil at work," Hewes said. "I think it is one of the most irresponsible things that people in government could allow to happen."

The resolution states the acceptance of same-sex marriage would "have a devastating effect on moral traditions and on the laws and legal system of the country."

Mayor Ken Combs endorsed the resolution.

"About 54 years ago when I got married to my wife, it was perfectly legal for us to get married and illegal for people of same sex to marry one another and that's the way I stand today," Combs said. "I don't move a bit from that stance."

Councilman Chuck Teston said same-sex marriage defies the intentions of Jesus Christ.

"I wouldn't be sitting here today if we condoned men marrying men and women marrying women," Teston said. "I don't think that's what the Lord Jesus Christ meant for us."

The resolution passed in a 6-0 vote. Councilwoman Ella Holmes-Hines abstained, saying she fiercely opposes same- sex marriage but does not believe it is necessary to amend the U.S. Constitution to prohibit it.

Copies of the resolution will be sent to Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Dennis Hastert, South Mississippi's congressional delegation, Gov. Haley Barbour, and every member of the Legislature.

quote:

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Originally posted by: 
How they voted The Gulfport City Council voted 5-1 with one abstention to approve a resolution condemning a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning sodomy laws. For: Kim Savant, Richard Rose, Ricky Dombrowski, Chuck Teston, Billy Hewes. Against: Jimmie Jenkins. Abstained: Ella Holmes-Hines."

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yet, all over the news after the decision was made, it was said the vote was 6 to 0 all in favor. 

quote:

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Originally posted by: sickofitall
""

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I think it's due to the fact that Hewes has so much free time that he was able to construct and submit TWO resolutions; the first (5-1) denouncing the sodomy decision; the second (6-0) denouncing gay marriage.

I know I am stepping out on a limb by saying this, but I have usually found that people who are so very obsessed with one issue usually have a bone or two in their own closets.  (Ok, donning the flamesuit, awaiting your flames   )

quote:

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Originally posted by: An odd fact
" Actually, a study published a few years ago showed that the research subjects who were most virulently anti-gay were the ones MOST stimulated by gay pornography!  I won't tell you how they determined this, but you can look it up if you want all the strange details!  "

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Here's the American Psychological Association's report on the University of Georgia study:

http://www.apa.org/releases/homophob.html

I am fighting to restrain this, but HAHAHAHAHA!!!!  Billy, is there something you need to tell us???  *wink*

If mr. Hewes feels that $78,000 is too much money for someone who teaches only one class per semester, how is the salary of $140,000 for an unneeded lawyer justified?

This maniac responder "Ea...raw" is a hoot.  I haven't heard anyone called a pinko or a commie in years!  Well, that tells us how old he is. 

FYI, sweetie, a whole bunch of us concerned about this issue aren't particularly liberal, not that you care.  Your job is to stir up trouble; your posts are a big bogus scam.

We are all just laughing at you, liberals and conservatives alike.

 I think the thing to do about Billy is, when he starts to speak, the graduates should quietly rise from their seats, turn their backs to him, and stay that way until his talk is over.  No confrontation, just silently make the point. Maybe  audience too? 

Given the Billy Hewes debacle, no wonder the rest of the country says: Visit Mississippi and feel good about your state. Y'all at USM hve my support and best wishes to get rid of "those people"

quote:

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Originally posted by:
" By the way, a big problem with the Sun Herald is that they won't run letters or "sound offs" that are critical of Hewes. I know at least five people who have written "sound offs" and letters to the editor criticizing Hewes.  I have seen none in print. After you write your letter, if you would like to submit a copy to my email, I will set up a page especially for these letters and link it to the front page."

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The SunHerald is printing a letter by a faculty member crtical of the Gulfport city councilof of Hewes tomorrow(April 14)  Check it out.